OCR Text |
Show TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA: The country, at the fame time, was divided into two djftinct provin ces~ the province of Lower Canada, and the province of Upper Canada. The former is the ea!l:ern part of the old province of :1nada; the latter, the wefl:ern part, fituatcd on the northern fides of the great Jakes and rivers throu gh which the boundary line runs, that feparates the 13ritifh territories from thofe of the Unitccl States. The two provin e, at:e divided from each other by a line, which runs north, 2 4• wefl:, commencing :<t Point au Baudct, in that part of the river St. Lawrc1~ce .::.allcd Lake Francis, and continuing on fi·om thence to the Uta was or Grand River. The city of ~ebcc is the capital of the lower province, as the town of Niagara is of the npper one. The exec utive power in each province is vdlcd in the governor, who has for his advice an executive council appointed by his Maje!l:y. The lcgif1ative power of each province is vefled in the governor, a legiflative council, and an affembly of the reprefcntatives of the people. Thcit· aDs, however, are fubj ect to the controul of his M.tj efly, and in fomc particu1arcafes to the controul of the Briti0.1 parliament. Bills are paGed in the coun il and in the afiembly in a form famewhat funilar to that in which bills are carri ed throu gh the Britifh houfes of parliament; they are then bid before the governor, who gives or withholds his afic nt, or referves them for his Majcfiy's pleafure. Such bills as he aficnts to are put in force immediately; but he is bound to tranfmit a tru copy of th em to the King, who in council may declare his difallowance of them within two yea rs from the time of their being received, in which cafe they become voiJ. Such as are rcfervcd for his Maj fi:y's aifcnt are not to be put in force until that is received. Moreover, every aCl: of the affemb1y and ouncil, which goes to repeal or vary the bws or regulations that were in exifl:c nce at the time the pr fent confi:itution was cflabli01ed in the country ref~"cC.l in g tithes ; the appropriat ion of land for the fupport of a protcfl:ant clergy ; the conftituting and endowing of parfonages or rctl:orics; the right of prefentation to the fim1c, and the manner in which the incumbent {hall hold them; the enjoyment and excrcife of any form or mode of wor- 9 iliip; C 0 N S T l 'J;' U T I 0 'r, ~ c. '2:'? 1'hip; the impofing of any bmdcns and dif\p1::dificati n son :1cc tlt1t oC t lv fame; the rights of the cler6y t ) recover thcir a cutlomcd du..: •; ; the impofing or gran tin.:; of any f :· lhc.r clues or c.;; 1olun cnts to :lll'.' ccc\:liaflic s ; the cJbhli01 nent ;-~ n 1 diii:if line of t 1c clmch of Lng~~1 nd; 1 1.; King\ prerog.1tivc, tOltching the granting of \ aflc bnr!s of the cro \ 1 within the.: pr vine ; every fuch ncl', before it r<'ccivt ., t h,~ rova ;1 !lent mufl be laid befo re both hon(e-, of p1rliunci t i11 Great Briui 1~, :111d th~ King mufl: not give his aflcn t th<.TL to llntil th irty ch1ys aft -r tl . f:une has been laid befo re parliament ; al'd in <'afc either houfc of pa ·lia 111c11t prefent an adc.lrefs to the King to withhold his afknt to any fuch a(l 0 ,· aCts, it cannot be t;ivc n. By an act paGed in the eighteenth year of hi prdi·nt M<ljefl:y's rcigtJ, the Britifh parliament has alfo the power of making any rcgulatiom which mly be found expedien t, rcfpeCl:ing the commcr c and navi0ation of the province, and alfo of impofing import and export du ties ; hut all fuch duties are to be applied folely to the u(c of the province, and in fuch a manner only as the laws made in the coun il and a!lcmbly direct. The legiflative council of Lower Canada confi£1: of fifteen members; that of Upper Canada of feven. The number of the members in eJ. ·h province mu£1: never be lcfs than this; but it may be increafed whenever his Majefl:y thin] s fit. The counfellors arc appointed for life, by an inftrumen t qnder the great fc<1l of the province, figned by the governor, who is invefi:ed with powers for that purpofe by the King. No pcrfon can be a. counfcllor who is not twenty-one years of age, nor any one who is not a natura] born fubject, or who has not been naturalized according to aCt of parliament. Whenever his Maj efl:y thinks proper, he may confer on any perfons hereditary titles of honour, with a right annexed to them of being fumman d to fit in this council, which right the heir may claim at the age of twenty-one; the right, however, cannot be acknowledged if the heir has been ahfent from the province without leave of his Maj fty, ilgnified to the council by the governor, for four years together, between E e the |